Johnston Senior High School

Q: Is Johnston Senior High School a good school?

Johnston Senior High School ranks 53 rd of 338 Iowa high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Johnston Senior High School is a public high school serving grades 10-12 with a total enrollment of 1,790 students. The school is part of the Johnston Community School District, which is ranked 62 out of 309 districts in Iowa and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Johnston Senior High School consistently ranks among the top high schools in Iowa, ranking 43rd out of 336 schools in the 2022-2023 school year. The school's students perform significantly better than the state average on the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP) in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. For example, in 2023-2024, 87.1% of 10th-grade students were proficient or better in ELA, compared to the state average of 73.8%. Additionally, the school has a relatively low percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, at 23.02% in the 2022-2023 school year, which is lower than many of the surrounding schools.

Compared to nearby schools, Johnston Senior High School has a more diverse student population, with 69.33% White, 11.01% African American, 7.93% Hispanic, and 6.93% Asian students in the 2022-2023 school year. This diversity is higher than schools like Waukee High School, Northwest High School, and Dallas Center-Grimes High School, which have student populations that are predominantly White. Despite spending less per student than some nearby schools, Johnston Senior High School is able to achieve exceptional academic outcomes, indicating that the district is effectively allocating its resources to support student learning.

Detail:

Public 10-12

6500 NW 100th Street
Johnston, IA 50131

(515) 278-0449

District: Johnston Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
53^rd of 338 Iowa High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,440

Feeder schools for Johnston Senior High School:

Elementary:	Beaver Creek Elementary School
	Henry A Wallace Elementary School
	Horizon Elementary
	Lawson Elementary School
	More...
	Timber Ridge Elementary
Middle:	Summit Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 20.8

Number of students: 1,771

Racial breakdown:

White:

67.9%

African American:

10.6%

Hispanic:

8.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 24.7%

See top rated Iowa high schools

Compare Johnston Senior High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Johnston Senior High School ranks better than 84.3% of high schools in Iowa. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 75.91. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Johnston Senior High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (67.9%), African American (10.6%), Hispanic (8.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 24.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Johnston Senior High School is 20.8. (See more...)

Compare Johnston Senior High School employs 84.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Johnston Senior High School is $11,440.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Johnston Senior High School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Johnston Senior High School 53^rd of 338 Iowa public high schools. (See Johnston Senior High School in the ranking list.)

Johnston Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Johnston Community School District 62^nd of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

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Rank History for Johnston Senior High School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	74.55	61^st	351	82.6%
2013	74.61	62^nd	351	82.3%
2014	72.01	87^th	322	73.0%
2015	77.40	53^rd	324	83.6%
2016	77.84	63^rd	320	80.3%
2017	78.63	46^th	325	85.8%
2018	77.44	46^th	320	85.6%
2019	75.31	57^th	327	82.6%
2021	76.21	55^th	327	83.2%
2022	66.91	96^th	332	71.1%
2023	78.48	43^rd	336	87.2%
2024	75.91	53^rd	338	84.3%

See the entire list of Iowa High School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Iowa Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Johnston Senior High School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	447	12	4	6	2	n/a	n/a	0	471
1989	452	10	7	5	2	n/a	n/a	0	476
1990	473	10	10	8	3	n/a	n/a	0	504
1991	531	5	9	2	1	n/a	n/a	0	548
1992	563	5	8	3	5	n/a	n/a	0	584
1993	647	10	8	8	4	n/a	n/a	0	677
1994	720	12	8	6	5	n/a	n/a	0	751
1995	840	10	9	1	2	n/a	n/a	0	862
1996	840	10	9	1	2	n/a	n/a	0	862
1997	869	16	13	11	2	n/a	n/a	0	911
1998	932	12	19	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	971
1999	1016	10	24	9	0	n/a	n/a	0	1059
2000	1080	9	28	11	0	n/a	n/a	0	1128
2001	1134	20	32	18	0	n/a	n/a	0	1204
2002	1181	24	42	21	0	n/a	n/a	0	1268
2003	1181	24	42	21	0	n/a	n/a	0	1268
2004	1182	29	43	20	1	n/a	n/a	0	1275
2005	911	24	38	23	2	n/a	n/a	0	998
2006	998	29	37	30	9	n/a	n/a	0	1103
2007	1046	34	43	28	9	n/a	n/a	0	1160
2008	1126	37	46	22	10	n/a	n/a	0	1241
2009	1165	45	44	23	7	n/a	n/a	0	1284
2010	1156	40	39	36	1	0	30	0	1302
2011	1112	44	44	44	3	2	33	0	1282
2012	1114	49	54	45	3	2	38	0	1305
2013	1137	48	79	49	1	1	40	0	1355
2014	1195	59	82	54	2	0	41	0	1433
2015	1269	63	89	61	3	1	55	0	1541
2016	1267	68	92	62	1	4	54	0	1548
2017	1247	75	98	74	1	3	68	0	1566
2018	1252	96	108	86	2	2	60	0	1606
2019	1258	112	121	108	2	0	67	0	1668
2020	1297	114	128	95	1	0	73	0	1708
2021	1308	146	129	116	0	0	73	0	1772
2022	1276	159	134	136	0	0	87	0	1792
2023	1241	197	124	142	0	0	86	0	1790
2024	1202	187	138	143	1	0	90	10	1771

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Johnston Senior High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	471	28.5	16.5	7.9
1989	476	3.0	158.6	7.1
1990	504	32.5	15.5	5.6
1991	548	35.0	15.6	4.9
1992	584	41.0	14.2	6.5
1993	677	40.8	16.6	4.9
1994	751	44.0	17.1	5.5
1995	862	51.4	16.8	4.3
1996	862	51.4	16.8	4.3
1997	911	58.0	15.7	3.3
1998	971	58.8	16.5	3
1999	1059	63.5	16.7	3.3
2000	1128	80.5	14.0	2.5
2001	1204	73.6	16.4	3.7
2002	1268	75.6	16.8	4.7
2003	1268	75.6	16.8	4.7
2004	1275	76.7	16.6	5.5
2005	998	60.9	16.4	5.9
2006	1103	74.7	14.8	8.7
2007	1160	72.3	16.0	9.7
2008	1241	87.6	14.2	10.5
2009	1284	84.4	15.2	12.7
2010	1302	80.9	16.0	12.8
2011	1282	81.2	15.7	14.9
2012	1305	81.4	16.0	14.5
2013	1355	81.8	16.5	13.8
2014	1433	86.1	16.6	16.5
2015	1541	85.0	18.1	15
2016	1548	83.0	18.6	16.7
2017	1566	81.2	19.2	18.4
2018	1606	79.1	20.3	20.9
2019	1668	81.2	20.5	21.2
2020	1708	83.0	20.5	18.7
2021	1772	87.2	20.3	19.2
2022	1792	89.5	20.0	20.4
2023	1790	89.9	19.8	23
2024	1771	84.8	20.8	24.7

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Johnston Senior High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	471	28.5	16.5	7.9
1989	476	3.0	158.6	7.1
1990	504	32.5	15.5	5.6
1991	548	35.0	15.6	4.9
1992	584	41.0	14.2	6.5
1993	677	40.8	16.6	4.9
1994	751	44.0	17.1	5.5
1995	862	51.4	16.8	4.3
1996	862	51.4	16.8	4.3
1997	911	58.0	15.7	3.3
1998	971	58.8	16.5	3
1999	1059	63.5	16.7	3.3
2000	1128	80.5	14.0	2.5
2001	1204	73.6	16.4	3.7
2002	1268	75.6	16.8	4.7
2003	1268	75.6	16.8	4.7
2004	1275	76.7	16.6	5.5
2005	998	60.9	16.4	5.9
2006	1103	74.7	14.8	8.7
2007	1160	72.3	16.0	9.7
2008	1241	87.6	14.2	10.5
2009	1284	84.4	15.2	12.7
2010	1302	80.9	16.0	12.8
2011	1282	81.2	15.7	14.9
2012	1305	81.4	16.0	14.5
2013	1355	81.8	16.5	13.8
2014	1433	86.1	16.6	16.5
2015	1541	85.0	18.1	15
2016	1548	83.0	18.6	16.7
2017	1566	81.2	19.2	18.4
2018	1606	79.1	20.3	20.9
2019	1668	81.2	20.5	21.2
2020	1708	83.0	20.5	18.7
2021	1772	87.2	20.3	19.2
2022	1792	89.5	20.0	20.4
2023	1790	89.9	19.8	23
2024	1771	84.8	20.8	24.7

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Johnston Senior High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$378 (3.3%)	$11,061 (96.7%)	$11,440

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Johnston Senior High School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 57^th of 327 High schools	Ranks 43^rd of 336 High schools	4.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
10th Grade English Language Arts (Johnston Senior High School)	84.7	83.7	1%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Johnston Community School District)	84.7	83.7	1%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	74.3	72.9	1.4%
10th Grade Mathematics (Johnston Senior High School)	78.6	80.5	1.9%
10th Grade Mathematics (Johnston Community School District)	78.6	80.5	1.9%
10th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	67.1	67	0.1%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Johnston Senior High School)	76.4	78.8	2.4%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Johnston Community School District)	76.4	78.8	2.4%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	71.4	68.7	2.7%
11th Grade Mathematics (Johnston Senior High School)	78.8	77.5	1.3%
11th Grade Mathematics (Johnston Community School District)	78.8	77.5	1.3%
11th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	66.9	67.3	0.4%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	1668	1790	7.3%
African American	112	197	75.9%
American Indian	2	0	100%
Asian	121	124	2.5%
Hispanic	108	142	31.5%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	1258	1241	1.4%
Two or More Races	67	86	28.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	21.2%	23%	1.9%

Schools Near Johnston Senior High School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				ISASP English Language Arts (2024)			ISASP Mathematics (2024)			ISASP Science (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	ISASP English Language Arts 9th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 10th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 11th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 9th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 10th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 11th Grade	ISASP Science 10th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Johnston Senior High School	Public	10-12	6500 NW 100th Street	Johnston	50131	Polk County	Johnston Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 278-0449	1,771	85	20.8	24.7%	1,202 (67.9%)	187 (10.6%)	143 (8.1%)	138 (7.8%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	90 (5.1%)	75.9	53^rd of 338 public high schools	84.3%		78.5	43^rd of 336 public high schools	87.2%	10		87.1	79.6		80.3	77.4	72.5	$11,440	$378	$11,061
Dallas Center-Grimes High School	Public	9-12	2555 W 1st St	Grimes	50111	Polk County	Dallas Center-Grimes Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 986-9747	1,027	58	17.5	18.2%	880 (85.7%)	47 (4.6%)	53 (5.2%)	18 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	28 (2.7%)	65.7	116^th of 338 public high schools	65.7%		76.4	49^th of 336 public high schools	85.4%	67	81.8	80.8	82.7	70.5	74.2	74.5	61.6	$12,103	$211	$11,892
Urbandale High School	Public	9-12	7111 Aurora Avenue	Urbandale	50322	Polk County	Urbandale Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 457-6800	1,311	93	14.0	34.3%	856 (65.3%)	91 (6.9%)	206 (15.7%)	78 (5.9%)	4 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	74 (5.6%)	34.3	263^rd of 338 public high schools	22.2%		43.5	219^th of 336 public high schools	34.8%	44	74.8	70.7	62.7	57.0	64.7	56.8	51.7	$11,428	$388	$11,040
Hoover High School	Public	9-12	4800 Aurora Ave	Des Moines	50310	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 242-7300	923	41	22.5	69.7%	174 (18.9%)	303 (32.8%)	231 (25.0%)	149 (16.1%)	5 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	57 (6.2%)	4.8	321^st of 338 public high schools	5.0%		7.8	316^th of 336 public high schools	6.0%	5	42.2	55.6	48.3	28.8	43.1	38.9	38.1	$17,790	$689	$17,101
Valley High School	Public	10-12	3650 Woodland Ave	West Des Moines	50266	Polk County	West Des Moines Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 633-4000	2,111	123	17.1	26.7%	1,226 (58.1%)	244 (11.6%)	405 (19.2%)	110 (5.2%)	3 (0.1%)	1 (0.0%)	121 (5.7%)	46.7	212^th of 338 public high schools	37.3%		55.2	162^nd of 336 public high schools	51.8%	50		74.1	70.3		66.8	68.2	56.9	$15,551	$791	$14,760
Walnut Creek Campus	Public	9-12	1020 8th Street	West Des Moines	50265	Polk County	West Des Moines Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 633-6480	165	14	11.7	52.1%	89 (53.9%)	26 (15.8%)	29 (17.6%)	2 (1.2%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (10.9%)	1.2	328^th of 338 public high schools	3.0%		4	325^th of 336 public high schools	3.3%	3	50.0	47.2	39.3	10.0	22.2	17.9	28.6	$18,513	$197	$18,315
Roosevelt High School	Public	9-12	4419 Center St	Des Moines	50312	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 242-7272	2,039	67	30.5	47.9%	898 (44.0%)	515 (25.3%)	353 (17.3%)	71 (3.5%)	10 (0.5%)	7 (0.3%)	173 (8.5%)	22.5	290^th of 338 public high schools	14.2%		22.8	286^th of 336 public high schools	14.9%	4	66.7	63.8	60.2	56.3	57.5	53.9	43.5	$14,829	$690	$14,140
Waukee High School	Public	10-12	555 SE University Avenue	Waukee	50263	Dallas County	Waukee Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 987-5163	1,345	78	17.2	23.5%	858 (63.8%)	134 (10.0%)	115 (8.6%)	124 (9.2%)	4 (0.3%)	2 (0.1%)	107 (8.0%)	62	135^th of 338 public high schools	60.1%		71.1	78^th of 336 public high schools	76.8%	57		79.1	76.8		74.5	71.8	63.9	$13,035	$231	$12,804
Northwest High School	Public	10-12	655 NW 10th ST	Waukee	50263	Dallas County	Waukee Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 987-5161	1,524	73	20.9	13.7%	1,183 (77.6%)	77 (5.1%)	104 (6.8%)	68 (4.5%)	3 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	88 (5.8%)	76.4	51^st of 338 public high schools	84.9%		74.5	59^th of 336 public high schools	82.4%	8		85.4	83.0		81.7	75.6	72.0
Saydel High School	Public	9-12	5601 NE 7th St	Des Moines	50313	Polk County	Saydel Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 262-9325	440	29	15.0	58.4%	307 (69.8%)	4 (0.9%)	91 (20.7%)	4 (0.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (7.5%)	12.6	308^th of 338 public high schools	8.9%		8.5	313^th of 336 public high schools	6.8%	5	51.5	61.4	40.4	40.6	60.2	46.3	42.1	$15,532	$350	$15,182

Frequently Asked Questions about Johnston Senior High School

What district is Johnston Senior High School in?

Johnston Community School District

What is the racial makeup of Johnston Senior High School?

Students at Johnston Senior High School are 68% White, 11% African American, 8% Hispanic, 8% Asian, 5% Two or more races.

Is Johnston Senior High School a good school?

Johnston Senior High School ranks 53^rd of 338 Iowa high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Johnston Senior High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,771 students attended Johnston Senior High School.

What schools feed into Johnston Senior High School?

Johnston Senior High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Beaver Creek Elementary School
Elementary : Henry A Wallace Elementary School
Elementary : Horizon Elementary
Elementary : Lawson Elementary School
Elementary : Timber Ridge Elementary
Middle : Summit Middle School

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Iowa Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.